FIRST 10K

Saturday morning before the snow hit, I was downtown doing my first 10k.

Had a great breakfast of Kashi 7 grain pilaf with almonds, blueberries, cranberries and was ready to hit the pavement with about 500 others. This was a chip timed event so found my place in the back of the pack.

My strategy was just to finish the race. In my mind I went to my "happy place".
Let me tell you about this place. Here there are no pressures, no expectations, no fear, no worries. I don't angst about my speed, the length of the run, who is ahead and who is behind.
I tell my body that it is free to enjoy the experience. I begin and the journey unfolds.

Along the way, many of the other travelers are miles ahead others only yards and those I happen to pass get a "good morning".

For the next 1 hour 28 minutes and 46 seconds, I am relinguishing control and loving every moment of it.

Because I am 53 years old, heavy set, and slow my jog might be judged as hardly worth the effort, but I know better. I feel stronger with every breath and every step along the way.

My two grown children are volunteering in this race and approaching the 2 mile marker they encourage me with cheers and water. As I come to the split, where the 5 k runners turn right
a well meaning policeman suggests that I have obviously missed my turn. "Hey mam? 5k people go that way" he points with authority. Being a wiseass, I say "I know, it's nice to have someone looking out for them". His eyes are wide and he looks embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I thought....." I give him a little wave laughing to myself realizing that only months earlier, he would have been correct.

Just at that moment, as I look ahead and the closest runner is but a fading dark spot in the distance I feel a sudden giddiness, a lightness, a sense of adventure and excitement.
Sticking to the plan had gotten me this far and I was certain it would bring me across the finish line.